Grant Abstract Writing

An abstract is an arcane term synonymous with summary/executive summary. It is a summary of a grant proposal and it is generally written last. The abstract is important if it’s scored or not because it may be the first thing that the person scoring your proposal will begin reading. The abstract is rarely included in the scoring used to rank proposals.

Most abstracts follow a typical format -

1. Introduction - Intro sentence or two – Name the project, who is applying, where it is going to happen, what it will do, and for whom.

2. Goal(s) and Objectives – This may be an outright listing of these components or it may be a summary of the key points of them. It will depend on how much space you have to work with and the Request For Proposals (RFP) directions.

3. A summary of how effective management of the project is ensured.

4. A summary of the evaluation measures that will ensure achievement of the objectives.

It's a good thing that this is all that's required because generally those items are going to take the full page usually allocated for an abstract. Sometimes the abstract is even limited to 300 words. This is the case when the agency intends to use them as PR copy to describe the successful applications on a web site or in a brochure.

Related Posts:
 
Five Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Grant Objectives
Preparing for the Grant Writing Process
 
Helpful Grant Writing Resources:
 
Federal Grant Resources eBook - Helpful in finding those government grants.
101 Tips for Aspiring Grant Writers  - A book to help you with all the various sections of the grant.  This is written by Veronica Robbins, a highly successful grant writer.

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Writing a Grant Abstract

Non-profit consultant and expert grant writer, Derek Link, shares some ideas for writing a grant abstract:

An abstract is a short summary of your grant narrative, it gives the reader the big picture and should motivate them to want to learn more about your proposal. You’ll be required to submit an abstract for most proposals, but it is rarely part of the scoring criteria. This does not minimize its importance however, because it may be the first part of your application the reader sees.

These are the basic components commonly requested in an abstract. Be sure to read the Request For Proposals (RFP) carefully to see if there is a specified outline for you to follow that may deviate from this list below:

1. Statement of Purpose: Who is applying? What does this proposal do, who does it serve, where is it located? What is the proposed grant period?
2. Goals and Objectives: List or summarize the goals and objectives that this proposal seeks to address.
3. Management Plan: Summarize the key features that ensure your project will be professionally managed. Adequate budget, agency commitment, supervision, commitment of resoruces, etc.
4. Evaluation: Describe the key features of your evaluation methods and plans which will ensure that the project is properly monitored and that outcomes will be accurately measured.

Remember that most abstracts are limited to a single page so you must be brief and to the point. I suggest that you write the abstract before you write your proposal so you have the whole proposal clearly in mind before you begin to write the detailed narrative.

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